US20120292304A1 - Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection - Google Patents
Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection Download PDFInfo
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- US20120292304A1 US20120292304A1 US13/108,574 US201113108574A US2012292304A1 US 20120292304 A1 US20120292304 A1 US 20120292304A1 US 201113108574 A US201113108574 A US 201113108574A US 2012292304 A1 US2012292304 A1 US 2012292304A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- thermal
- thermal element
- device case
- case according
- temperature
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- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D23/00—Control of temperature
- G05D23/19—Control of temperature characterised by the use of electric means
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
- H05B3/20—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater
- H05B3/34—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
- G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
- G06F1/20—Cooling means
- G06F1/203—Cooling means for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
- G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
- G06F1/20—Cooling means
- G06F1/206—Cooling means comprising thermal management
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
- H05B3/40—Heating elements having the shape of rods or tubes
- H05B3/42—Heating elements having the shape of rods or tubes non-flexible
- H05B3/46—Heating elements having the shape of rods or tubes non-flexible heating conductor mounted on insulating base
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B2203/00—Aspects relating to Ohmic resistive heating covered by group H05B3/00
- H05B2203/002—Heaters using a particular layout for the resistive material or resistive elements
- H05B2203/003—Heaters using a particular layout for the resistive material or resistive elements using serpentine layout
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B2214/00—Aspects relating to resistive heating, induction heating and heating using microwaves, covered by groups H05B3/00, H05B6/00
- H05B2214/04—Heating means manufactured by using nanotechnology
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02D—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE
- Y02D10/00—Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a device case and, more particularly, to a portable electronic device case with active thermal protection.
- a device case for a portable electronic device includes mechanical protection for the device, an active thermal element incorporated within the mechanical protection and a controller to control an operation of the active thermal element, the controller being configured to limit power consumption of the active thermal element and to maintain a predefined internal device temperature.
- a device case includes a thermal energy spreader disposed about or proximate to a component of a device, a temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of an environment about or proximate to the device and to issue a signal reflective thereof, a thermal element coupled to the temperature sensing element and disposed to selectively change the temperature of the environment about or proximate to the device in accordance with the signal and a layer to provide thermal insulation and impact protection disposed about the thermal energy spreader and the thermal element.
- a device case for a device having computing capability includes a thermal energy spreader disposed about or proximate to a component of a device, a temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of an environment about or proximate to the device and to issue a signal reflective thereof, a thermal element coupled to the temperature sensing element and disposed to selectively change the temperature of the environment about or proximate to the device, a layer to provide thermal insulation and impact protection disposed about the thermal energy spreader and the thermal element and a connector to operably couple the device, the temperature sensing element and the thermal element, the thermal element being operable by the device in accordance with the signal.
- a device case includes a thermal energy spreader disposed about or proximate to a component of a device, a temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of an environment about or proximate to the device and to issue a signal reflective thereof, a thermal element coupled to the temperature sensing element and disposed to selectively change the temperature of the environment about or proximate to the device, a layer to provide thermal insulation and impact protection disposed about the thermal energy spreader and the thermal element and a controller operably coupled to the temperature sensing element and the thermal element to control the thermal element in accordance with the signal.
- a method of operating a device case providing active thermal protection includes receiving user input at a device, determining whether to power a thermal element in an event the thermal element is not powered by sensing a temperature of an environment about the device, issuing a signal reflective thereof and activating the thermal element in an event the temperature is below a predefined limit and power is available and responding to the user input.
- FIG. 1 is an axial view of a device case
- FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a thermal element of the device case of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of control elements
- FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an operation of a device case.
- a device case 10 is provided for use with a device 11 , such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable personal computer, a cell phone or any other similar portable device for computing or communication.
- the device 11 may include one or more components 12 that are operationally sensitive to high or low temperature environments.
- the components 12 include a liquid crystal touch screen that is slow to respond or non-responsive to touch in cold environments.
- the device case 10 includes a thermal energy spreader 20 , an active thermal element (“thermal element”) 30 and a layer 40 , which is disposed about the thermal energy spreader 20 and the thermal element 30 to provide thermal insulation and mechanical, electro-magnetic, thermal and impact protection for the device 11 and/or a user thereof.
- the thermal energy spreader 20 may be a thin material, such as solid metal, metal mesh, thermally conductive silicone coated fabrics or a combination of materials, which distributes heat and prevents electro-magnetic interference.
- the thermal energy spreader 20 is formed of a thermally conductive material, such as a metal or a metal alloy, and may be disposed about or proximate to the device 11 .
- the thermal energy spreader 20 is provided about or proximate to the component 12 of the device 11 , which, as noted above, may be sensitive to high or low temperature environments.
- the thermal element 30 is disposed to selectively change a temperature of the environment about or proximate to the device 11 or, more particularly, the component 12 in accordance with the temperature about or proximate to the device 11 .
- control of the field is provided by the thermal energy spreader 20 .
- a maximum amount of power to be provided to the thermal element 30 is considered with respect to the intensity of the electro-magnetic interference created and a type of the device 11 .
- consideration is given to a location of the thermal energy spreader 20 so as to not block radio waves or other transmission signals that must be emitted from or received by the device 11 for normal operation.
- the device case 10 may further include a flap 50 by which a user interface of the device 11 , such as the component 12 (see FIG. 2 ), is accessible to the user.
- the flap 50 is hinged with at least the thermal element 30 running in and out of the flap 50 by way of the hinge.
- the thermal element 30 may be provided as a thermal layer having three separate layers including a thermal backing layer 31 , a thermal conductor 32 and the thermal energy spreader 20 .
- the thermal backing layer 31 may be a thin cloth, rubber or metal backing and provides protection and a mounting surface for the subsequent layers.
- the thermal conductor 32 is adhered to the thermal backing layer 31 and may be a patterned thermal conductor including a thin wire (i.e., copper) or advanced carbon fiber (i.e., nanotubes). Leads extend from the thermal conductor to connect with a control mechanism 33 .
- the thermal conductor 32 may include an electrically resistive element that generates heat in the presence of a current applied thereto or a thermoelectric material that also generates heat in the presence of a current applied thereto.
- the thermal conductor 32 may be formed as a layer of material that is capable of exhibiting the Peltier effect.
- the thermal conductor 32 of the thermal element 30 may be coupled to the control mechanism 33 such that, if it is determined that the device 11 or the component 12 is excessively hot or cold, the thermal element 30 can be activated as a cooling element or a heating element by the control mechanism 33 to apply a cooling or a heating effect.
- the layer 40 includes an insulating layer 41 and a protective layer 42 adhered to one another.
- the insulating layer 41 is formed of thermally insulating material, such as a thin foam, silicon coated fabrics or other insulating materials, that may also be electrically non-conductive.
- the insulating layer 41 is disposed about the thermal element 30 , in particular, or about the device 11 as a whole. In this way, a user of the device 11 does not risk thermal injury from the thermal element 30 when holding the device 11 .
- the protective layer 42 conforms to the shape of and generally surrounds the device 11 .
- the protective layer 42 is formed of soft, hard, compliant or elastic rubber or plastic material that can protect the device 11 from impacts, such as those caused by the user dropping the device 11 or accidentally banging the device 11 into another object.
- the device case 10 has an elongate cross-sectional shape that is similar to that of, for example, a cell phone or a PDA without being substantially larger than the cell phone or PDA.
- the device 11 and the device case 10 can be handheld or, when not in use, contained within a pocket of a user's clothing or a carrying case.
- the device case 10 or the device 11 may further include a temperature sensing element 60 , such as a thermocouple, which is disposed about, proximate or in contact with the device 11 or the component 12 or an interior of the device 11 .
- the temperature sensing element 60 is configured to sense a temperature of an environment about or proximate to the device 11 or the component 12 .
- the temperature sensing element 60 may be configured to directly sense a temperature of the device 11 or the component 12 .
- the temperature sensing element 60 is configured to generate and issue a signal that is reflective of the sensed temperature.
- the temperature sensing element 60 and the thermal element 30 may be operably coupled to one another whereby the thermal element 30 selectively changes the temperature of the environment about or proximate to the device 11 or the component 12 .
- the device 11 may have computing capability (as would be expected for, e.g., a PDA).
- the control mechanism 33 may be a component of the device 11 and may be coupled to the central processing unit of the device 11 .
- the device 10 may further include a connector 70 (see FIG. 3 ) to operably couple the device 11 , the temperature sensing element 60 and the thermal element 30 to one another.
- the thermal element 30 is thus operable by the control mechanism 33 in accordance with the signal provided by the temperature sensing element 60 .
- control mechanism 33 is operably coupled to the thermal element 30 and is included within a controller 80 as a component of the device case 10 or the device 11 .
- the controller 80 includes or is coupled to the temperature sensing element 60 and is coupled to the thermal element 30 to thereby control the thermal element 30 in accordance with the signal issued by the temperature sensing element 60 .
- the controller 80 may further include or be coupled to a power source 81 and a data interface 82 .
- the power source 81 serves to provide power at least to the thermal element 30 and may be provided as an external current (when the device 11 is being charged), a battery or the battery of the device 11 .
- the power source 81 maybe provided as any array of power configurations depending on circuitry used to design the control mechanism 33 .
- the thermal element 30 could be powered using standard USB bus power. Higher voltage power sources could be used, however, in such cases attention must be given to prevent overheating the thermal element 30 .
- the power source 81 may use alternating current (AC) or, more likely, direct current (DC).
- AC alternating current
- DC direct current
- an amount of power provided to the thermal element 30 is controllable by the control mechanism 33 and may be held constant, regulated or changed by the control mechanism 33 .
- the thermal element 30 can further be controlled and power regulated with consideration given to remaining battery life of the device 11 and thermal protection requirements. For example, if operating the thermal element 30 would drain completely or drain the power source 81 below a predetermined threshold, the thermal element 30 can be disabled or minimal power only can be provided.
- the controller 80 further includes a processing unit 83 to control an operation of the control mechanism 33 , a storage medium 84 , the temperature sensing unit 60 and the component 12 of the device 11 (i.e., the user interface).
- the storage medium 84 may be segmented into a first storage unit 841 for read/write memory and a second storage unit 842 for read only memory and has executable instructions stored thereon. When executed, the executable instructions cause the processing unit 83 to control the operation of the control mechanism 33 and may additionally cause the processing unit 83 to control an operation of the temperature sensing element 60 as well.
- a method of operating the device case 10 for providing the device 11 with active thermal protection includes at operation 100 receiving user input for, e.g., starting the device 11 , at the device 11 by way of the component 12 (i.e., where the component 12 is a user interface of the device 11 ).
- the method further includes at operation 110 determining whether to power on/off the thermal element 30 in an event the thermal element 30 is not powered and, at operation 120 , responding to the user input by, e.g., starting the device 11 or continuing operation of the device 11 .
- the method includes determining whether the thermal element 30 should be powered at operation 125 . If operation 125 indicates that the thermal element 30 should not be powered, control proceeds to operation 130 at which the temperature sensing element 60 is queried immediately or at a set interval. The set interval may be activated in accordance with operations 131 , 132 during which it is determined whether an active schedule exists and, if not, a user defined schedule is queried. Once the temperature sensing element 60 is queried and issues a signal reflective of the sensed temperature, it is determined at operation 140 whether the temperature is within a lower limit. If the temperature is within the lower limit, the thermal element 30 remains not powered (or is turned off) at operation 150 and control proceeds to operation 120 at which the device 11 responds to the user input as set forth above.
- control proceeds to operation 180 where it is determined whether a delay needs to be conducted. If no delay is necessary, control proceeds to operation 120 at which the device responds to the user input. If the delay is necessary, the delay is conducted and control proceeds to operation 185 where log data of, for example, first storage unit 841 is updated. Control then proceeds to operation 130 at which the temperature sensing element 60 is queried immediately or at a set interval where the set interval is activated in accordance with operations 131 , 132 .
- control proceeds to operation 190 where it is determined whether external power (i.e., a charging device) is available. If the external power is available, control proceeds to operation 200 where the thermal element 30 is powered on and, then, operation 180 where it is determined whether the above-mentioned delay needs to be conducted. If, at operation 190 , it is determined that external power is not available, control proceeds to operations 210 , 211 during which it is determined whether a battery of either the device case 10 or the device 11 is to be used to power the thermal element 30 based on, for example, an amount of remaining available power and a type of computing tasks requiring power currently being queued.
- external power i.e., a charging device
- control proceeds to operation 200 and the thermal element 30 is powered on. If the battery cannot be used, proceeds to operation 185 where log data of, for example, first storage unit 841 is updated. Control then proceeds to operation 130 at which the temperature sensing element 60 is queried immediately or at a set interval where the set interval is activated in accordance with operations 131 , 132 .
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a device case and, more particularly, to a portable electronic device case with active thermal protection.
- Increasing numbers of people are purchasing portable electronic devices for personal or business use every day. These devices are being used in many different environments, including environments where the device might need to operate outside its normal operating temperature range. When a device is used outside its normal operating temperature range, the device might behave unpredictably or unreliably. For example, a portable music player left in a cold vehicle on a cold day, might not respond or might respond slowly to user attempts to use the device. Such behavior would be abnormal and lead to decreased reliability.
- According to an aspect of the present invention, a device case for a portable electronic device is provided and includes mechanical protection for the device, an active thermal element incorporated within the mechanical protection and a controller to control an operation of the active thermal element, the controller being configured to limit power consumption of the active thermal element and to maintain a predefined internal device temperature.
- According to another aspect of the present invention, a device case is provided and includes a thermal energy spreader disposed about or proximate to a component of a device, a temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of an environment about or proximate to the device and to issue a signal reflective thereof, a thermal element coupled to the temperature sensing element and disposed to selectively change the temperature of the environment about or proximate to the device in accordance with the signal and a layer to provide thermal insulation and impact protection disposed about the thermal energy spreader and the thermal element.
- According to another aspect of the present invention, a device case for a device having computing capability is provided and includes a thermal energy spreader disposed about or proximate to a component of a device, a temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of an environment about or proximate to the device and to issue a signal reflective thereof, a thermal element coupled to the temperature sensing element and disposed to selectively change the temperature of the environment about or proximate to the device, a layer to provide thermal insulation and impact protection disposed about the thermal energy spreader and the thermal element and a connector to operably couple the device, the temperature sensing element and the thermal element, the thermal element being operable by the device in accordance with the signal.
- According to another aspect of the present invention, a device case is provided and includes a thermal energy spreader disposed about or proximate to a component of a device, a temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of an environment about or proximate to the device and to issue a signal reflective thereof, a thermal element coupled to the temperature sensing element and disposed to selectively change the temperature of the environment about or proximate to the device, a layer to provide thermal insulation and impact protection disposed about the thermal energy spreader and the thermal element and a controller operably coupled to the temperature sensing element and the thermal element to control the thermal element in accordance with the signal.
- According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of operating a device case providing active thermal protection is provided and includes receiving user input at a device, determining whether to power a thermal element in an event the thermal element is not powered by sensing a temperature of an environment about the device, issuing a signal reflective thereof and activating the thermal element in an event the temperature is below a predefined limit and power is available and responding to the user input.
- Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with the advantages and the features, refer to the description and to the drawings.
- The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The forgoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
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FIG. 1 is an axial view of a device case; -
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a thermal element of the device case ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of control elements; and -
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an operation of a device case. - With reference now to
FIGS. 1-3 , adevice case 10 is provided for use with adevice 11, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable personal computer, a cell phone or any other similar portable device for computing or communication. Thedevice 11 may include one ormore components 12 that are operationally sensitive to high or low temperature environments. As an example, thecomponents 12 include a liquid crystal touch screen that is slow to respond or non-responsive to touch in cold environments. - The
device case 10 includes athermal energy spreader 20, an active thermal element (“thermal element”) 30 and alayer 40, which is disposed about thethermal energy spreader 20 and thethermal element 30 to provide thermal insulation and mechanical, electro-magnetic, thermal and impact protection for thedevice 11 and/or a user thereof. Thethermal energy spreader 20 may be a thin material, such as solid metal, metal mesh, thermally conductive silicone coated fabrics or a combination of materials, which distributes heat and prevents electro-magnetic interference. In an embodiment, thethermal energy spreader 20 is formed of a thermally conductive material, such as a metal or a metal alloy, and may be disposed about or proximate to thedevice 11. In particular, thethermal energy spreader 20 is provided about or proximate to thecomponent 12 of thedevice 11, which, as noted above, may be sensitive to high or low temperature environments. Thethermal element 30 is disposed to selectively change a temperature of the environment about or proximate to thedevice 11 or, more particularly, thecomponent 12 in accordance with the temperature about or proximate to thedevice 11. - Because cycling electricity through a conductor, such as the
thermal element 30 creates an electro-magnetic field, the field must be controlled. In an embodiment, control of the field is provided by thethermal energy spreader 20. Here, when designing thedevice case 10, a maximum amount of power to be provided to thethermal element 30 is considered with respect to the intensity of the electro-magnetic interference created and a type of thedevice 11. Additionally, consideration is given to a location of thethermal energy spreader 20 so as to not block radio waves or other transmission signals that must be emitted from or received by thedevice 11 for normal operation. - The
device case 10 may further include aflap 50 by which a user interface of thedevice 11, such as the component 12 (seeFIG. 2 ), is accessible to the user. Theflap 50 is hinged with at least thethermal element 30 running in and out of theflap 50 by way of the hinge. - In accordance with embodiments, the
thermal element 30 may be provided as a thermal layer having three separate layers including athermal backing layer 31, athermal conductor 32 and thethermal energy spreader 20. Thethermal backing layer 31 may be a thin cloth, rubber or metal backing and provides protection and a mounting surface for the subsequent layers. Thethermal conductor 32 is adhered to thethermal backing layer 31 and may be a patterned thermal conductor including a thin wire (i.e., copper) or advanced carbon fiber (i.e., nanotubes). Leads extend from the thermal conductor to connect with acontrol mechanism 33. In particular, thethermal conductor 32 may include an electrically resistive element that generates heat in the presence of a current applied thereto or a thermoelectric material that also generates heat in the presence of a current applied thereto. In particular, thethermal conductor 32 may be formed as a layer of material that is capable of exhibiting the Peltier effect. As shown inFIG. 3 , thethermal conductor 32 of thethermal element 30 may be coupled to thecontrol mechanism 33 such that, if it is determined that thedevice 11 or thecomponent 12 is excessively hot or cold, thethermal element 30 can be activated as a cooling element or a heating element by thecontrol mechanism 33 to apply a cooling or a heating effect. - The
layer 40 includes aninsulating layer 41 and aprotective layer 42 adhered to one another. Theinsulating layer 41 is formed of thermally insulating material, such as a thin foam, silicon coated fabrics or other insulating materials, that may also be electrically non-conductive. Theinsulating layer 41 is disposed about thethermal element 30, in particular, or about thedevice 11 as a whole. In this way, a user of thedevice 11 does not risk thermal injury from thethermal element 30 when holding thedevice 11. Theprotective layer 42 conforms to the shape of and generally surrounds thedevice 11. Theprotective layer 42 is formed of soft, hard, compliant or elastic rubber or plastic material that can protect thedevice 11 from impacts, such as those caused by the user dropping thedevice 11 or accidentally banging thedevice 11 into another object. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , thedevice case 10 has an elongate cross-sectional shape that is similar to that of, for example, a cell phone or a PDA without being substantially larger than the cell phone or PDA. As such, thedevice 11 and thedevice case 10 can be handheld or, when not in use, contained within a pocket of a user's clothing or a carrying case. - With reference to
FIG. 2 , thedevice case 10 or thedevice 11 may further include atemperature sensing element 60, such as a thermocouple, which is disposed about, proximate or in contact with thedevice 11 or thecomponent 12 or an interior of thedevice 11. As such, thetemperature sensing element 60 is configured to sense a temperature of an environment about or proximate to thedevice 11 or thecomponent 12. In some cases, thetemperature sensing element 60 may be configured to directly sense a temperature of thedevice 11 or thecomponent 12. In addition, thetemperature sensing element 60 is configured to generate and issue a signal that is reflective of the sensed temperature. Where thedevice case 10 or thedevice 11 includes thetemperature sensing element 60, thetemperature sensing element 60 and thethermal element 30 may be operably coupled to one another whereby thethermal element 30 selectively changes the temperature of the environment about or proximate to thedevice 11 or thecomponent 12. - The
device 11 may have computing capability (as would be expected for, e.g., a PDA). In this case, thecontrol mechanism 33, for example, may be a component of thedevice 11 and may be coupled to the central processing unit of thedevice 11. Here, thedevice 10 may further include a connector 70 (seeFIG. 3 ) to operably couple thedevice 11, thetemperature sensing element 60 and thethermal element 30 to one another. Thethermal element 30 is thus operable by thecontrol mechanism 33 in accordance with the signal provided by thetemperature sensing element 60. - With reference to
FIG. 2 , in an alternative embodiment, thecontrol mechanism 33 is operably coupled to thethermal element 30 and is included within acontroller 80 as a component of thedevice case 10 or thedevice 11. In either case, thecontroller 80 includes or is coupled to thetemperature sensing element 60 and is coupled to thethermal element 30 to thereby control thethermal element 30 in accordance with the signal issued by thetemperature sensing element 60. Thecontroller 80 may further include or be coupled to apower source 81 and adata interface 82. - The
power source 81 serves to provide power at least to thethermal element 30 and may be provided as an external current (when thedevice 11 is being charged), a battery or the battery of thedevice 11. As a general matter, thepower source 81 maybe provided as any array of power configurations depending on circuitry used to design thecontrol mechanism 33. For example, thethermal element 30 could be powered using standard USB bus power. Higher voltage power sources could be used, however, in such cases attention must be given to prevent overheating thethermal element 30. Thepower source 81 may use alternating current (AC) or, more likely, direct current (DC). In accordance with embodiments, an amount of power provided to thethermal element 30 is controllable by thecontrol mechanism 33 and may be held constant, regulated or changed by thecontrol mechanism 33. - Because the power provided to the
thermal element 30 is regulated, thethermal element 30 can further be controlled and power regulated with consideration given to remaining battery life of thedevice 11 and thermal protection requirements. For example, if operating thethermal element 30 would drain completely or drain thepower source 81 below a predetermined threshold, thethermal element 30 can be disabled or minimal power only can be provided. - The
controller 80 further includes aprocessing unit 83 to control an operation of thecontrol mechanism 33, astorage medium 84, thetemperature sensing unit 60 and thecomponent 12 of the device 11 (i.e., the user interface). Thestorage medium 84 may be segmented into afirst storage unit 841 for read/write memory and asecond storage unit 842 for read only memory and has executable instructions stored thereon. When executed, the executable instructions cause theprocessing unit 83 to control the operation of thecontrol mechanism 33 and may additionally cause theprocessing unit 83 to control an operation of thetemperature sensing element 60 as well. - In accordance with further aspects of the invention with reference to
FIG. 4 , a method of operating thedevice case 10 for providing thedevice 11 with active thermal protection is provided. The method includes atoperation 100 receiving user input for, e.g., starting thedevice 11, at thedevice 11 by way of the component 12 (i.e., where thecomponent 12 is a user interface of the device 11). The method further includes atoperation 110 determining whether to power on/off thethermal element 30 in an event thethermal element 30 is not powered and, atoperation 120, responding to the user input by, e.g., starting thedevice 11 or continuing operation of thedevice 11. - More particularly, in response to the user input received at
operation 100, the method includes determining whether thethermal element 30 should be powered atoperation 125. Ifoperation 125 indicates that thethermal element 30 should not be powered, control proceeds tooperation 130 at which thetemperature sensing element 60 is queried immediately or at a set interval. The set interval may be activated in accordance withoperations temperature sensing element 60 is queried and issues a signal reflective of the sensed temperature, it is determined atoperation 140 whether the temperature is within a lower limit. If the temperature is within the lower limit, thethermal element 30 remains not powered (or is turned off) atoperation 150 and control proceeds tooperation 120 at which thedevice 11 responds to the user input as set forth above. - If the temperature is not within the lower limit, as determined at
operation 140, or if thethermal element 30 is determined to have been powered on atoperation 125, it is re-determined at operation 170 whether the thermal element is already on and, if so, control proceeds tooperation 180 where it is determined whether a delay needs to be conducted. If no delay is necessary, control proceeds tooperation 120 at which the device responds to the user input. If the delay is necessary, the delay is conducted and control proceeds tooperation 185 where log data of, for example,first storage unit 841 is updated. Control then proceeds tooperation 130 at which thetemperature sensing element 60 is queried immediately or at a set interval where the set interval is activated in accordance withoperations - If it is re-determined at operation 170 that the
thermal element 30 is not already on, control proceeds tooperation 190 where it is determined whether external power (i.e., a charging device) is available. If the external power is available, control proceeds tooperation 200 where thethermal element 30 is powered on and, then,operation 180 where it is determined whether the above-mentioned delay needs to be conducted. If, atoperation 190, it is determined that external power is not available, control proceeds tooperations device case 10 or thedevice 11 is to be used to power thethermal element 30 based on, for example, an amount of remaining available power and a type of computing tasks requiring power currently being queued. If the battery of either thedevice case 10 or thedevice 11 can be used to power thethermal element 30, control proceeds tooperation 200 and thethermal element 30 is powered on. If the battery cannot be used, proceeds tooperation 185 where log data of, for example,first storage unit 841 is updated. Control then proceeds tooperation 130 at which thetemperature sensing element 60 is queried immediately or at a set interval where the set interval is activated in accordance withoperations - The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.
- The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated
- The flow diagrams depicted herein are just one example. There may be many variations to this diagram or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing order or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention.
- While the preferred embodiment to the invention had been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.
Claims (22)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US13/108,574 US20120292304A1 (en) | 2011-05-16 | 2011-05-16 | Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection |
US13/722,130 US20130105138A1 (en) | 2011-05-16 | 2012-12-20 | Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/108,574 US20120292304A1 (en) | 2011-05-16 | 2011-05-16 | Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US13/722,130 Continuation US20130105138A1 (en) | 2011-05-16 | 2012-12-20 | Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20120292304A1 true US20120292304A1 (en) | 2012-11-22 |
Family
ID=47174169
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/108,574 Abandoned US20120292304A1 (en) | 2011-05-16 | 2011-05-16 | Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection |
US13/722,130 Abandoned US20130105138A1 (en) | 2011-05-16 | 2012-12-20 | Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/722,130 Abandoned US20130105138A1 (en) | 2011-05-16 | 2012-12-20 | Portable electronic device case with active thermal protection |
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US (2) | US20120292304A1 (en) |
Cited By (5)
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US20180039129A1 (en) * | 2016-08-04 | 2018-02-08 | Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd. | Touch display device and method for manufacturing the same |
US10238003B1 (en) | 2018-01-05 | 2019-03-19 | Gamber-Johnson Llc | Heated cover for mounted electronic device |
US10281936B2 (en) * | 2011-11-14 | 2019-05-07 | Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development Lp | Network device heating based on power classification and temperature |
US10292438B2 (en) * | 2016-10-17 | 2019-05-21 | David Fortenbacher | Heated garments |
US10426205B2 (en) * | 2015-06-18 | 2019-10-01 | Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd. | Intelligent fabric, intelligent shoe and intelligent garment |
Families Citing this family (1)
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US9008993B2 (en) * | 2011-12-19 | 2015-04-14 | Blackberry Limited | Methods and apparatus for detecting unauthorized batteries or tampering by monitoring a thermal profile |
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